Research

Thrust 1. Smart Hydrogels for Virus Detection and Environmental Health Sensing

The continuous outbreaks of infectious viral diseases raise significant challenges to public health. Current health risk assessment on water reuse has huge uncertainty. The low and variable occurrence of viral pathogens requires a large volume of water samples to concentrate the target viruses for quantification, which brings extra burdens on the sample storage and transportation. We aim to develop smart hydrogels with specific viral receptors for the selective capture of viruses in water samples. Thus, smart hydrogels can work as a sampling method to extract viral pathogens for accurate and reliable pathogen detection. Moreover, it can be combined with advanced sensor techniques to achieve on-site, real-time monitoring of water samples and health risk assessment.

Thrust 2. Electrified Membrane Technique for Water Reuse and Resource Recovery

Water resource management is continuously challenged by population growth, climate change, land-use change, and poor water infrastructures. Reclamation and reuse of wastewater provide a sustainable and feasible strategy to manage limited water resources. We aim to develop and apply the electrified membrane technique for the electrochemical reclamation of wastewater. The electrified membrane combines the unique characteristic of the solute separation process (e.g., micro- or nano-scale confined flow) and high tunability of electrified treatment (e.g., electrostatic adsorption and repulsion, electrochemical oxidation and reduction, and electroporation). Therefore, it shows great potential in the decontamination and valorization of wastewater. 

Thrust 3. Advanced Porous Polymeric Adsorbent for Water Purification

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminants with worldwide concern because many PFAS pollutants are toxic, bioaccumulative, and extremely persistent in the environment. The commonly used adsorbents such as activated carbon and ion exchange resin are limited by slow adsorption and low affinity toward short-chain PFAS contaminants. We aim to develop advanced porous polymeric adsorbents for fast, effective, and selective removal of PFAS contaminants in water. The porous polymer framework will have multi-functionalized sites with optimized spatial arrangements. Therefore, the synergistic binding effects could build a strong affinity with PFAS pollutants and better recognize the specific PFAS from background constituents such as natural organic matter.